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Downtown Waterbury, Connecticut skyline

Living in Waterbury, Connecticut

Waterbury is a city on the Naugatuck River in New Haven County, about 33 miles southwest of Hartford. Known as the Brass City for its dominance in brass manufacturing through the first half of the 20th century, it is the largest city in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.

By James Allen, NMLS 1216446 · Updated

Photo: Hayden Soloviev, CC BY 4.0

Waterbury at a glance

Waterbury's zip code

Waterbury's zip codes range from 06701 to 06720, split among downtown and its neighborhoods.

Waterbury villages and zip codes
AreaZip codeWhere it is
Downtown Waterbury06702The city center around the Green and Waterbury Union Station.

Waterbury covers about 28.52 square miles and borders Watertown, Plymouth, Wolcott, Prospect, Naugatuck, Thomaston and Middlebury. It was incorporated in 1853.

Things to do in Waterbury, CT

Start with Waterbury Union Station clock tower.

  1. Waterbury Union Station clock tower

    A landmark 1909 railroad station building modeled on the Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy, now used as offices with the clock tower still visible from downtown.

    Historic

    Meadow St, Waterbury, CT

A little history

Waterbury was incorporated as a city in 1853 and grew from the earlier township that had split off Watertown, Plymouth, Wolcott, Prospect, Naugatuck, Thomaston and Middlebury.

The city earned the nickname "Brass City" for leading the nation in brass manufacturing during the first half of the 20th century, later also known for watch and clock making through companies like the Waterbury Clock Company.

Parks, trails and outdoors in Waterbury

Waterbury's landscape is shaped by the Naugatuck and Mad rivers, which historically powered the city's brass mills, and its park system includes several Olmsted-era and turn-of-the-century city parks.

  • Lewis Fulton Memorial ParkA 70-acre park north of the city center, designed by the Olmsted Brothers and largely completed by 1925, with athletic fields, tennis courts, a rock garden, a rose garden and a lilac path.
  • Hamilton ParkThe city's oldest park, founded in 1898, in the east end of Waterbury with ballfields, a playground, a picnic area, a basketball court, a walking track and a splash pad.
  • Chase ParkA recreation center at 150 Sunnyside Ave offering programs and activities for all ages.

Where to eat in Waterbury: restaurants and coffee

3 places in Waterbury to try, including italian-american restaurant and italian restaurant. No one paid to be listed.

Walkability and getting around Waterbury

Downtown Waterbury has sidewalks and a traditional street grid around the Green, while outlying neighborhoods vary in walkability and a car is useful for getting around the wider city.

Downtown Waterbury

Downtown Waterbury, CT 06702

Check any Waterbury address

Drive times

  • Hartford, about 33 miles40–45 min
  • Bradley International Airport, about 30 miles35–40 min

Approximate, without traffic.

By bus or train

Waterbury Union Station serves the Metro-North Waterbury Branch line, connecting to the New Haven Line and on to Grand Central Terminal; CTtransit also operates local bus routes in the city.

Waterbury property taxes and home prices

Waterbury's 2026–27 mill rate is 43.34, which is $43.34 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Connecticut taxes a home at 70% of its appraised value, so every $100,000 of value costs about $3,034 a year in taxes at 43.34 mills.

What homes in Waterbury sell for

12 months endingSingle-familyCondo
Sep 2024$275,000503 sales$174,000147 sales
Sep 2025$290,000469 sales$182,000191 sales

October to September, state records. Text us for this month's sales.

Waterbury's mill rate for 2026–27

43.34mills, fiscal year 2026–27

  • Town of Waterbury43.34 mills
  • Motor vehicles32.46 mills
  • Next revaluationOctober 1, 2027

Waterbury property tax calculator

$
Assessed value (70%)
–
Taxes a year
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About this much a month
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Estimate only; the assessor's appraisal sets the bill.

Add it to a full payment estimate

Using our mortgage calculator or affordability calculator? Enter about 3.03% for property tax. That's 43.34 mills on a 70% assessment.

How Waterbury's mill rate has changed

Waterbury town mill rate by fiscal year
Fiscal yearTown rate
2022–2360.21
2023–2454.19
2024–2549.44
2025–2644.98
2026–2743.34

Waterbury's town rate went from 60.21 in 2022–23 to 43.34 in 2026–27. Next revaluation: October 1, 2027.

Look up a Waterbury property

Buying a home in Waterbury

What we check on a Waterbury purchase: CHFA limits, the flood map and older housing stock.

CHFA

First-time buyer programs in Waterbury

CHFA sets Waterbury's income and price limits for New Haven County. We check them with you before you shop.

See CHFA's limits map
Flood maps

Check the flood zone first

The Naugatuck River runs through Waterbury, and low-lying land near it and the Mad River can fall within FEMA flood zones. We check FEMA's map before you offer.

FEMA's flood map for Waterbury
Older housing stock

Multi-family and older homes are common

Waterbury has a large stock of older multi-family and single-family homes tied to its manufacturing history; ask about updates to electrical, plumbing and roofing on older properties.

All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. CHFA and USDA limits and eligibility are set by those agencies and change from time to time.

James Allen

Thinking about buying in Waterbury?

Send us a Waterbury address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.

Call (860) 398-5268 Text us Email the team

Compare loan optionsOur process

Moving to Waterbury: utilities, trash and town offices

Who to call in Waterbury: Eversource for power.

Mark Lane Transfer Facility

220 Mark Lane, Waterbury, CT 06704

Transfer station details

Town offices and contacts

Waterbury Town Hall is at 235 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 am–4:30 pm. Main line: (203) 597-3444. Each link opens that office's page on the town's website.

Waterbury, CT FAQ: taxes, prices and town services

The short answers. Call or text us for the long ones.

What is the mill rate in Waterbury, CT?

Waterbury's 2026–27 mill rate is 43.34, which is $43.34 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. The motor vehicle rate is 32.46 mills.

How much are property taxes on a $500,000 home in Waterbury?

Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of appraised value, so a $500,000 home would be assessed at about $350,000. At 43.34 mills that's about $15,169 a year, or about $1,264 a month. The actual bill depends on the town assessor's appraisal, not the price you pay.

What is the median home price in Waterbury, CT?

In the 12 months from October 2024 through September 2025, the median single-family sale in Waterbury was $290,000 across 469 sales, compared with $275,000 the year before. The median condo sale was $182,000 across 191 sales.

When is Waterbury's next revaluation?

Waterbury's next revaluation takes effect October 1, 2027, on the state's schedule. The new assessments first show up on the tax bills due in July 2028.

What county is Waterbury, CT in?

Waterbury is in New Haven County, in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.

Why is Waterbury called the Brass City?

Waterbury led the nation in brass manufacturing during the first half of the 20th century, and its city motto references brass.

Is there a train station in Waterbury?

Yes, Waterbury Union Station serves the Metro-North Waterbury Branch line, connecting to the New Haven Line toward Grand Central Terminal.

How far is Waterbury from Hartford?

Waterbury is about 33 miles southwest of Hartford.

Is trash pickup curbside in Waterbury?

Yes, the city's Bureau of Refuse collects trash and recycling curbside; bulky and yard waste can also be dropped at the Mark Lane Transfer Facility.

Towns near Waterbury

Neighbors of Waterbury in New Haven County and nearby. All New Haven County towns.

Sources